Category Archives: Humility

“Character is a proxy for quality.”

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“Character is a proxy for quality.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Amazon

Character is more than a moral compass — it’s the invisible standard that determines the quality of everything we touch.

Just as craftsmanship reveals itself in the smallest details, our integrity shows up in how we handle moments no one sees.

Quality work, deep relationships, and lasting success all trace back to the inner fabric of who we are.

You can’t fake character; shortcuts eventually expose themselves.

When we choose honesty over ease and consistency over convenience, we refine the very essence of quality.

In a noisy world chasing quick wins, character remains the quiet craftsman shaping work that endures.

EXERCISE:

Consider reading “The Road to Character” by David Brooks. In this book Brooks explores “resume virtues” versus “eulogy virtues” and argues for a life built on humility, moral struggle, and service.

“An expert is someone who, over many years, manages to remain confident enough to keep trying and humble enough to keep learning.”

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“An expert is someone who, over many years, manages to remain confident enough to keep trying and humble enough to keep learning.”

—James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits

Image of Pablo Casals from britannica.com

When asked why he continued to practice the cello three hours a day at the age of 93, Pablo Casals answered: “I’m beginning to notice some improvement.”

My dad, who passed away last March at the age of 94, loved golf. He took up this pastime at the age of 69 and played three days a week in almost any weather. Although he was not what others would call an expert, you could find him on most days swinging a dinged-up yardstick and putting on his carpet during commercial breaks of the golf channel or a televised tournament.

EXERCISE:

Where in your personal or professional life are you still passionate about enhancing your expertise and mastery?  Where do you remain confident to keep trying and humble enough to keep learning?

“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

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“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

—Serbian Proverb

Image from Unsplash by Noah Buscher

Who are the people in your communities that you consider humble and kind?

Sometimes we refer to these special folks as being “down to earth.” What other qualities do you see in them that make them so grounded and solid?

How many of the same people also demonstrate noble qualities? These are the people who not only shine, but they also energize and illuminate those around them. They tend to attract others with a gravitational force that holds things together.

EXERCISE:

If you asked these questions of your family, friends, and colleagues, how many of them would put YOU on their list?

What efforts can and will you take to be this proverbial person in the days and years ahead?